Filter cartridge



Dec. 28, 1965 J DUNN ETAL 3,225,932

FILTER CARTRIDGE Original Filed May 14, 1963 INVENTORS Joseph B. Dunn BYMarvin 0. Ross Their A ffbrney 3,225,932 Patented Dec. 28, 19653,225,932 FILTER CARTRIDGE Joseph B. Dunn, Vandalia, and Marvin 0. Ross,Dayton,

Ohio, assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., acorporation of Delaware Original application May 14, 1963, Ser. No.280,349, now Patent No. 3,174,165, dated Mar. 23, 1965. Divided and thisapplication Dec. 17, 1964, Ser. No. 418,978

2 Claims. (Cl. 210-282) This is a division of application Serial No.280,349, filed May 14, 1963, now Patent 3,174,165, granted Mar. 23,1965.

This invention relates to dry cleaning apparatus of the replaceablefilter cartridge type.

Recently, self-service dry cleaning systems have become popular and haveplaced the advantages of dry cleaning within the economic reach ofeveryone. One such dry cleaning system utilizes a replaceable filtercartridge in its solvent circulation system, said cartridge beingperiodically replaceable in order to maintain the solvent in the bestcondition. This filter cartridge combines a folded paper element incombination with granular carbon in a cylindrical perforated canisterand is designed to provide filtration for approximately 100 dry cleaningcycles before it needs replacing. Toward the end of the cartridge life,the carbon phase of the cartridge becomes less effective and thecirculating solvent tends to darken as more of the dyes bled from fabricduring the cleaning thereof are retained in the solvent. The use of suchdye-tainted solvent causes light fabric to yellow due to a redepositingonto the fabric of dye components in the solvent. Accordingly, an objectof this invention is directed to a cartridge for conditioning solvent ina dry cleaner of the type using a replaceable filter cartridge, saidcartridge insuring a complete adsorption of dye from the solvent.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention isclearly shown.

In the drawing:

The sole figure is an elevational view, partly in section, of theadsorbing cartridge of this invention.

The successful operation of a replaceable cartridge dry cleaningapparatus depends on the efiiciency with which solvent is handled andconditioned in the system. In this apparatus, a filtering and adsorbingcartridge is utilized which is replaceable after a period of usage. Witha filtering and adsorbing cartridge solvent will tend to discolor aftera period of time even though the particulate contaminants are stillbeing effectively removed by the cartridge. It frequently occurs thatthe dye removing or adsorbing capability of the cartridge is exhaustedbefore the filtering capability thereof. Thus dyes tend to build up inthe solvent until the solvent color changes to a dark amber. When thishappens, some of the dyes will redeposit on the fabrics being cleanedand cause a yellowing effect which is particularly noticeable on lightcolored fabrics. To overcome this dye build-up in the solvent, anadsorbing cartridge 170 is used interchangeably with a filtering andadsorbing cartridge.

For additional details on the construction of the replaceable filteringand adsorbing cartridge, reference may be had to the copendingapplication Ser. No. 210,651, filed July 18, 1962, now Patent 3,189,179,granted June 15, 1965, and assigned to the same assignee as thisapplication.

The adsorbing cartridge 170 is constructed with a perforated metalliccenter outlet tube 172 attached as by Welding to a paint can lid 174 toform a subassembly. A

perforated or woven fabric bag 176 includes an inner return fold portion180 having its tubular end affixed by a wrapping of tape 178 at one endof the perforated outlet tube 172. The inner portion 180 of the bag hugsthe radially outer side of the center tube 172 to form a protectiveshield which prevents carbon migration into the outlet tube 172. Anannular fiberboard or cardboard washer 182 supports the outer wall 184of the bag in a manner to space it from the inner wall 180, therebyforming a cavity therebetween-the paint can lid 174 press fitting intothe washer 182 to retain the fabric and to hold the bottom of theadsorbing cartridge in proper shape. The upper end of the bag outer wall184 has a draw string 186 which, after the cavity is filled withapproximately eight pounds of granular carbon 192, is drawn tightlyaround an annular fiberboard or cardboard washer 188 at the top of thecartridge. The washer 188 rests on a shoulder of a metal ferrule 189affixed to the top of the perforated tube 172. When the end of theferrule is spun over a metal washer 190, the container assembly of theadsorbing cartridge is completed. So that the outer surface of thecartridge remains cylindrical, the bag, paint can lid and center tubesub-assembly may be placed in a cylindrical fixture while the cavity isbeing filled with carbon.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosedconstitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adapted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A disposable cartridge for use with dry cleaning solvent such asperchlorethylene to condition the solvent by controlling the colorthereof and comprising:

a fabric bag having an outer portion adapted to re ceive through theperforations thereof solvent to be conditioned,

a perforated center tube concentric with said outer portion and havingone end open for dispensing condition solvent therethrough,

an annular imperforate lower end plate at the lower end of saidcartridge supporting said outer portion a spaced distance from saidcenter tube to define an annular solvent conditioning chamber,

a lower cover having solvent outlet means in communication with said oneend of said center tube, said one end of said center tube, said centertube being fastened at said one end to said lower cover in a manner tosupport said center tube generally perpendicular thereto,

said fabric bag having an inner portion enveloping said center tube andan intermediate portion in juxtaposition to the inside of said lowercover and the outside of said lower end plate,

said fabric bag, said lower end plate, said center tube and said lowercover forming a lower cover and center tube assembly,

said lower cover having a yieldable press-fit edge frictionally engagingthe intermediate portion of said fabric bag along the inner peripheraledge of said lower end plate for partially closing the lower end of saidchamber and for supporting said center tube in said chamber,

activated carbon granules in said chamber for removing non-particulatematter from solvent flowing therethrough to control the color thereof,

and means at the upper end of said cartridge for sealing said carbongranules in said chamber.

2. A disposable cartridge for use with dry cleaning solvent such asperchlorethylene to condition the solvent by controlling the colorthereof and comprising:

a fabric bag having an outer portion adapted to receive through theperforations thereof solvent to be conditioned,

a perforated center tube concentric with said outer portion and havingone end open for dispensing conditioned solvent therethrough,

an annular imperforate lower end plate at thelower end of said cartridgesupporting said outer portion a spaced distance from said center tube todefine an annular solvent conditioning chamber,

a lower cover having solvent outlet means in communication with said oneend of said center tube, said center tube being fastened at said one endto said lower cover in a manner to support said center tube generallyperpendicular thereto,

said fabric bag having an inner portion enveloping said center tube andan intermediate portion in juxtaposition to the inside of said lowercover and the outside of said lower end plate,

said fabric bag, said lower end plate, said center tube and said lowercover forming a lower cover and center tube assembly,

said lower cover having a yieldable press-fit edge frictionally engagingthe intermediate portion of said fabric bag along the inner peripheraledge of said lower end plate for partially closing the lower end of saidchamber and for supporting said center tube in said chamber,

activated carbon granules in said chamber for removing non-particulatematter from solvent flowing therethrough to control the color thereof,

and means at the upper end of said cartridge for sealing carbon granulesin said chamber,

said means for sealing including an annular imperforate upper end platesupporting said outer portion a spaced distance from said center tube atthe upper end thereof and for closing the upper end of said chamber, anda drawstring in said fabric bag at one of said outer portion for lockingsaid fabric bag to said upper end plate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1963 Yelinek21O484 X 6/1965 McMichael 2l03l5 X

1. A DISPOSABLE CARTRIDGE FOR USE WITH DRY CLEANING SOLVENT SUCH ASPERCHLORETHYLENE TO CONDITION THE SOLVENT BY CONTROLLING THE COLORTHEREOF AND COMPRISING: A FABRIC BAG HAVING AN OUTER PORTION ADAPTED TORECEIVE THROUGH THE PERFORATONS THEREOF SOLVENT TO BE CONDITIONED, APERFORATED CENTER TUBE CONCENTRIC WITH SAID OUTER PORTION AND HAVING ONEEND OPEN FOR DISPENSING CONDITION SOLVENT THERETHROUGH, AN ANNULARIMPERFORATE LOWER END PLATE AT THE LOWER END OF SAID CARTRIDGESUPPORTING SAID OUTER PORTION A SPACED DISTANCE FROM SAID CENTER TUBE TODEFINE AN ANNULAR SOLVENT CONDITIONING CHAMBER, A LOWER COVER HAVINGSOLVENT OUTLET MEANS IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID ONE END OF SAID CENTERTUBE, SAID ONE END OF SAID CENTER TUBE, SAID CENTER TUBE, BEING FASTENEDAT SAID ONE END TO SAID LOWER COVER IN A MANNER TO SUPPORT SAID CENTERTUBE GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR THERETO, SAID FABRIC BAG HAVING AN INNERPORTION ENVELOPING SAID CENTER TUBE AND AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION INJUXTAPOSITION TO THE INSIDE OF SAID LOWER COVER AND THE OUTSIDE OF SAIDLOWER END PLATE, SAID FABRIC BAG, SAID LOWER END PLATE, SAID CENTER TUBEAND SAID LOWER COVER FORMING A LOWER COVER AND CENTER TUBE ASSEMBLY,SAID LOWER COVER HAVING A YIELDABLE PRESS-FIT EDGE FRICTIONALLY ENGAGINGTHE INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF SAID FABRIC BAG ALONG THE INNER PERIPHERALEDGE OF SAID LOWER END PLATE FOR PARTIALLY CLOSING THE LOWER END OF SAIDCHAMBER AND FOR SUPPORTING SAID CENTER TUBE IN SAID CHAMBER, ACTIVATEDCARBON GRANULES IN SAID KCHAMBER FOR REMOVING NON-PARTICULATE MATTERFROM SOLVENT FLOWING THERETHROUGH TO CONTROL THE COLOR THEREOF, ANDMEANS AT THE UPPER END OF SAID CARTRIDGE FOR SEALING SAID CARBONGRANULES IN SAID CHAMBER.